1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a fiber optic adapter module and fiber optic equipment tray configured to support the fiber optic adapter module. The fiber optic adapter module and fiber optic equipment tray are configured to provide high density fiber optic connections and/or enhanced convenience to technicians in accessing fiber optic adapters for fiber optic cable connections.
2. Technical Background
Benefits of optical fiber use include extremely wide bandwidth and low noise operation. Because of these advantages, optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to broadband voice, video, and data transmission. Fiber optic networks employing optical fiber are being developed and used to deliver voice, video, and data transmissions to subscribers over both private and public networks. These fiber optic networks often include separated connection points at which it is necessary to link optical fibers in order to provide “live fiber” from one connection point to another connection point. In this regard, fiber optic equipment is located in data distribution centers or central offices to support interconnections. The fiber optic equipment is customized based on the application need. The fiber optic equipment is typically included in housings that are mounted in equipment racks to maximize space.
One example of fiber optic equipment provided at data distributor centers or central offices is a fiber optic adapter module. A fiber optic adapter module is designed to provide cable-to-cable fiber optic connections and manage the polarity of fiber optic cable connections. The fiber optic adapter module is typically mounted to a chassis which is then mounted inside an equipment rack. The chassis may be provided in the form of a tray that is extendable from the equipment rack like a drawer to allow technicians access to fiber optic adapters provided by the fiber optic adapter module and any fiber optic cables connected to the fiber optic adapters without removing the fiber optic adapter module from the equipment rack. Due to increasing bandwidth needs and the need to provide high connectivity density in data centers, fiber optic networks are migrating to higher cabled fiber counts using multi-fiber cables. Multi-fiber cables are typically provided in the form of optical ribbon cables. Multi-fiber cables are often used for trunk connections in a fiber optic network. In this regard, fiber optic adapter modules are being designed to support multi-fiber cables to condense individual optical fibers into multi-fiber cables and to manage polarity of same.
Due to these higher connectivity density designs, fiber management is often complex and difficult due to the number of optical connections. The same is true for fiber optic adapter modules, which are requiring an increased number of fiber optic adapters to handle higher density designs. Higher density connections make it more difficult to access optical components and connections. Fiber optic equipment trays are designed to be pulled out to allow technicians easier access for making optical fiber interconnections. However, increased density makes hand access by technicians to optical components and connectors as well as the routing and organizing jumper connections more difficult. Even with fiber optic equipment tray pull out capabilities, a need still exists to improve access to optical components in a fiber optic equipment tray as well as provide neat routing and organization of jumper connections.